On the land and sea
by Errol's Feather
Summary: Ariel's daughter Melody find herself torn when she falls in love for the first time. She is torn between following her heart or what she should do according to regular standards.


_**Author's Note:** I have always loved the little mermaid and any aspects of the triology of films, so I thought I would try to write a fic. I plan to do one or more chapters on this. _

* * *

_**Here on the land and sea**_

"Mom," Melody said and looked at her mother, she was playing with her younger sister Harmony. She had red hair, much like her mother. She was super cute, then again she was only five. Melody sometimes wondered if she was like that when she was younger.

"Yes, dear," Ariel said, looking at her oldest daughter. She was quite sure that the young girl grew more beautiful for each day that went by.

"How do you know…you know, when you are in love?" she wondered, her tone casual with a hint of curiosity.

"Yes, how?" Arial heard Eric say. The young king was standing in the doorway of their music room. He was looking rather amused from his wife, to their seventeen year old daughter.

It didn't happen so often anymore, but every once in a while the middle-aged mermaid blushed. Like now the shade of her face was in the same color as that of her still red hair. Even young Harmony looked at her saying, "Momma?"

"Well, when your heart beat faster, when you can't stop thinking about that person, and you want to be with him all the time, and you feel happy whenever you are around him," said Ariel, giving Eric a loving glance.

"Oh okay, is it okay I go for a ride?" Melody asked them polite.

"Of course, just be home for dinner," said Eric in a firm tone. The dark-haired girl nodded and ran out of there.

"You think she is in love?" Ariel wondered, a bit worried, not really wanting to know if it was a merman or a human yet. After all Melody spent half her time at land and half the time at sea it could be anyone really. She was still fearing the day would come when she did fall in love and leave them behind.

"Maybe, we will worry about that when it come," said Eric calmly.

"Horsy," Harmony said, looking at her dad. He smiled and lifted her up on his back, pretending to be a horse, galloping out the door through the hallways. Ariel shook her head and smiled after them, she still loved her husband as much as the day she saved him. Even with his hair graying on the sides, she would always find him handsome. Again her thought went to their daughter, hoping however she might love, if she did, loved her back and was treating her right.

* * *

Melody was riding her grey mere, "Star," through the forest. She was conflicted, very much so. The way her mother described it was just the way she was feeling. It was so stupid though, as she had two men she fancied, both the same age, nineteen, a merman and boy that worked at the palace. She sighed thinking about David the stable boy, he had been with her for years, or rather her family and she knew for a fact that he loved her. He even got her small gifts every once in a while.

Then again there was Max, the merman which she had known ever since she took a dive into the ocean five years ago. He was really the most fun, he made her feel so alive and so at ease, and she really loved swimming as much as she loved riding. They could talk about anything and he got her in a way no one else seemed to do.  
She groaned by the fact that both boys, or rather men were more like brothers to her. Melody of course knew that both would more than likely love to date her, but she didn't really want to do that. It was not that she didn't love them, as she did, it was more that she didn't feel that way for any of them. The young princess knew her parents would be thrilled if she married either one. Or maybe not Max or Maximillian that his name was, considering then she would have to live under the sea, her mother would go crazy if that happened she knew.  
It was not that her mother didn't want her to find anyone, she knew she always wanted her to be happy. It was more the fact that she wanted her to find someone on land so she could see her whenever she wanted. Melody whoever knew she couldn't decided who her heart wanted.

Then again the person she felt in love with. If that was what it was, the one she couldn't stop thinking about also lived under the sea. It was a mermaid named Coralia. She was way out of her league though. It wasn't that she was upper class, she came from a good family. She was a fabulous dancer and she went to all the high end clubs. Melody was dying to get into them, but couldn't. She knew her mother wouldn't have to worry though, because there was no way she would come near Coralia, and if she did there was no way she liked her.  
She would just have to settle with David or Max she figured.

* * *

"You okay, princess?" Max was swimming over to Melody, his green tail was moving lazily as he was swimming around her. She had went to for a swim after she was done with her ride. She had even asked her mother if she could spend the night at her grandfather's palace. Ariel didn't want to at first, but she gave in.  
She was sitting at a rock outside her grandfather's palace. Her deep red tail was swaying back and forth below her, her resting upon her hand.

"Oh hi Max, I didn't see you coming," she gave him a smile and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug.

"Hi, so you okay?" he wondered.

"I just… it would be so fun to get into the Tropic," she said, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

"Oh, I can get you in if you want, if you promise not to drink," he said in a serious tone. His green eyes sparkling and his blonde long hair waving around his face.

"I promise I won't do anything bad," she said with a soft laughter.

"Alright, I will come by and pick you up at eight," he said with a bright smile. She sighed, she loved that, his smile.

"Okay, I am sleeping over at grandpa's tonight so I will be here. Is there anything in particular I should wear?" she wondered. She was just wearing her red and purple seashell bra at the moment.  
"Well it is a hip club so if you want to stand out it should be something cool," he said, before swimming off.

* * *

It was the same night that Melody was standing in front of the mirror in the room in King Triton's palace. She was fastening some ear rings as the last touch to her outfit. In her eyes it was totally stupid to actually wear clothing under water. Still she knew mermaids even dressed up every once in a while. At the moment she was wearing her bra, a golden necklace with a pendant in shape of a shell, a black leather jacket. She smiled as she looked at herself, feeling a bit more confident than earlier.

The young girl slowly left her room, only to bump into her aunt Attina. Like the rest of her grandfather's daughters she lived at the castle. Some of them had taken their men to live with them there. King Triton had allowed it with some small objections. Attina was however still without a man or woman. Melody knew her to have had relationships over the years, but none that lasted.

"Hi, Melody, where are you going?" the older mermaid wondered. Her posture ever so regal, her crown held high as always.

"Out with uhm Max," she said, looking down.

"You two are really getting along aren't you?" the older mermaid looked at her with wondering eyes.

"We are, he is the best merman there is," she said with a great smile.

"Hmmm, don't be too late, father does expect you for breakfast," she said in a warning tone. In her mind she could see you Melody marry Max and live happily ever after under the sea.

"Of course not, see you later, auntie Attina," she said and swam out one of the windows and down to the main gates of the palace. She soon saw Max and said, "Ready?"

He looked at her with wide eyes, saying, "Wow, Melody, you look great."

"Thank you," she blushed slightly, taking his arm before she started to swim alongside him.

"You are welcome. So I am just getting the feeling you are trying to impress someone," he said, shooting her a grin. There was even a sparkle in his green eyes.

"I am, but she doesn't have eyes for me, and even if she did I am sure that mom and dad would not allow it," she answered with a heavy sigh. Her red tail was moving gracefully behind her.

"She…?" he looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Yes, please don't tell any of my relatives," she said, looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Unless you end in deep trouble I can assure you I will not," he said and laughed.

She pushed him in the sides and laughed as well. He was such a dork sometimes. He stopped as they found themselves in the line outside the Tropic. Of course the line was long and they had to get in the back as they were the last ones there. She groaned saying, "Is the line always this long?"

"Yeah, unless you have a VIP pass which I do not," he answered, seeing some mermaids and mermen swim right in through the opening of the club. It was purple lights surrounding the entrance to what Melody could only assume was an underwater cave, she could hear music coming from within. Her tail started moving along with it and she was humming lightly, when she heard a too familiar female voice say, "Aren't you a bit lost, human girl?"

"Coralia, no…I, I have every right being here as the rest," of course the other mermaid had a VIP pass. She looked at her purple tail has some blue shells here and there, it even looked like they were sparkling. Melody felt her heart was racing.

"Oh is that so, I thought you were a bit too young to be here," she raised her brows. Her blonde and purple hair waved around her shoulder and a bit beyond. She laughed adding, "Not to mention the fact that you are more human than mermaid."

"I am as much a mermaid as you," she said in a matter of fact way, crossing her arm over her chest.

"I beg to differ, anyways got to go, good luck getting in princess," she said with a vicious laugh, swimming inside with her friends. Melody grumbled, looking after her.

"So that is who you are trying to impress," said Max seeing the redness on Melody's olive cheeks.

"No, we should just go," she said with a huff.

"Hmm, maybe not, I have an idea," he swam over to the guard by the entrance, exchanging a few words, than waved for her to come. She did and he said, "We're in, you can thank me later."

She kissed his cheek and floated inside, he followed right behind her. He knew that if anything happened to her he was as good as dead.

* * *

The dark-haired princess was sure she wasn't even half sober when she bumped into Coralia later that night. The young mermaid had just been to the bathroom and was considering swimming home to the castle, after all night was turning into morning. She could tell by the dark ocean turning into a lighter shade that the sun have to be getting up. She exchanged some words with an octopus that floated pass, when she heard Corarlia say, "Why are you even here?"

"The same reason as you I suppose, relax with friends, drink and dance," said she with a shrug. She totally wasn't feeling all that well anymore. Clearly she should have not taken the last drink or whatever it was.

"No, I mean in the ocean, you are more human than mermaid," she said with a sigh.

"I didn't chose to be human, if I could make the choice myself I much rather be a mermaid. I am mostly up there because my parents…My sister. What do you have against humans anyways?" she wondered, looking at the older girl.

"They killed queen Athena and my mother," she said, turning her face away.

"Not all are like that," she said and let a hand go out and touch her shoulder.

"I am sure that before your father meet your mother he ate fish and crabs and other things from the sea," said she with a triumphant grin.

"Of course, but I have never…" she looked away, she could not win this battle.

"And you think he is right in doing so?" Coralia asked, eying her, her tail moving from side to side.

"I never said that, why do you hate me so much?!" she practically spat at her.

"I don't," the other mermaid pressed a hard kiss to her lips, before she floated away from her. Melody just stood there looking after her very much confused. She wasn't even sure what to think as she swam back towards the castle.

* * *

Ariel was looking at her daughter's empty chair, over a month had gone from she had set her foot or rather tail in the water. She seemed to have lost all interest in swimming or being near the sea, after she had been visiting her grandfather. She had asked him and her siblings if something happened, but neither seemed to know. To top it off the young woman had almost lost her interest for any food, and ate what little she had in her room, rather than with her family. This day Ariel was busy with Harmony at the dinner table that was in a foal mood, and asked her husband to bring the food up to Melody. He looked at her but didn't say anything, thinking she wouldn't like to have another confrontation with their daughter, her saying nothing was wrong. Both knew it was.

Eric knocked on the door before entering, seeing his daughter sitting by the window and looking out over the sea with sad eyes.

"Melody, will you please tell me what is wrong, your mother and I are really worried," he said, putting the plate down next to her.

"It's just I think I am in love, but it is so very messed up," said she with a heavy sigh, looking at him with her green eyes.

"A merman?" he said, it would explain a lot. Her not being in the sea to avoid him.

"Mermaid, only she don't like humans, they killed some of her family members, and grandma, she recent them…and I think me for it," she said, feeling tears welling up again.

A mermaid. Of course it was not unheard of that a woman fell in love with another woman Eric knew, but it was not a very popular thing to do. Still he knew as she was his daughter he could either deny her of seeing whomever it was, and loose her in the process or support her and maybe help. He put a hand on her shoulder saying, "Do you want to talk about it, further than what you just said?"

"It is this mermaid, her name is Coralia, she is two years older than me and she has this amazing hair, she is so beautiful, daddy. I really just wish I could be in the ocean so I could be with her all the time," she said with a dreamy sigh.

"You have it hard, and it won't get any better," he said, ruffling her hair.

"Daaaad," she said, making a face, before she started to eat. Pork chops.  
One of her favorites.

He watched as she ate more eagerly than she had done in weeks. The young king smiled at her saying, "Call for her, so you can talk or go find her to do so, you will regret it if you don't."

"How am I going to do that?" she asked confused, it was not like mermaids used phones.

"You sing, mermaids communicate by singing, and the person they sing to always hears. Your mother explained this to me when we were recently wed," he said, thinking back to when Ariel was a mermaid.

* * *

Melody could hear her parents debating over the fact of her love interest. Her mother did not seem happy. She sighed, feeling like she should never have said anything. She made her way out of the palace and down to the beach, seeing Scuttle flying around.

The young girl treaded into her water, slowly making her way to where it was deeper. She still loved her grandfather for the fact that he had made it so, that whenever she was in water reaching to her waist she turned into a mermaid. It made life much easier for her, all things considered she loved everything about the ocean. She giggled diving under. Never really having called upon anyone before it was new to her. Max usually in one way or another always knew she was there. The young mermaid took a deep breath and sang on the lighter tones, not using lyrics, she knew she could, but it didn't feel right.

Nothing happened, had her father been wrong. Of course it happened, but not all that often. She swam to her mother's old cave, where she had kept all the human things she collected. It wasn't much left of it. Melody knew her grandfather destroyed most of it in the past. Again she tried singing, this time filling the tones with longing or at least she tried. She sat down, picking up a rusty compass from Ariel's collection. Maybe she should just give up, after all Coralia didn't exactly try to find her like Max did. Still it was odd that she did spot her near the castle grounds when she was living there from time to time over the years.

"Melody?" she heard her voice behind her and startled.

"You…you heard?" she asked, turning to look at her.

"Of course, I was just a bit far away, or it would have taken me shorter to get to…you," she smiled a bit, adding, "I missed you around."

"Really you did?" Melody's eyes shined with hope. Maybe she did actually liked her, rather than resenting her.

"I did, listen I never really disliked you, I disliked the feelings I have for you. I felt so conflicted you know because you are more on land than down here, and humans… I got a chance to think it over and I don't dislike all. It is more their actions you know," her tail moving under her, she looked down.

"I can understand that, I feel conflicted as well, as I really…like you, and I've lived on land most of the time. Recently, especially after what happened last I want to spend more time here, get to know you, would you be okay with that? And I get what you are saying about the humans," she blushed shyly now.

"I would like that, how long are you staying now?" she wondered, hope in her eyes as she looked at her.

"A week, dodging my parents," she laughed, swimming an inch closer, a bit insecure she cupped her cheek and leaned into kiss her. Coralia let it and met with the kiss, feeling fish bubble inside her. She let her hands hold her close, as the younger woman backed out from the kiss, Coralia said, "A week it is a start."

"Mmm," Melody nodded, before she kissed her again, feeling a rush going through her body. A good one, her heart beating faster and right now her parents didn't matter, the only thing that did was Coralia and the feeling she gave her.

* * *

Thank you for taking the time to read this story, feedback is always appreciated :o)


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